Content warning: this post discusses some of the atrocities of Indian Residential Schools.
This year, over a thousand children’s graves were discovered at former residential schools in Canada. In response, Book Riot is matching donations up to $2,500 USD to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society. Scroll to the bottom of the post for how to participate, or keep reading for more information.
In May of 2021, ground-penetrating radar revealed a mass grave of 215 children at the former residential school in Kamloops. Since then over a thousand more children’s unmarked graves have been found on the grounds of former residential schools in Canada, and an investigation is beginning into U.S. Native American Boarding Schools burial sites.
Residential schools in Canada ran from the late 1800s for a century, with the last one officially closing in 1996. Five generations of children were taken away from their families and culture, and this act of genocide has only ended recently, with generations of survivors still alive today. It’s estimated between 30 and 60% of children died within five years of attending residential schools, and physical, sexual, and psychological abuse was common, as was inadequate nutrition and living conditions.
It was an act of genocide intended to erase Indigenous identities and cultures. Indigenous communities today are dealing with intergenerational trauma while demonstrating incredible resilience and healing, passing down cultural and spiritual practices. Even suppressed Indigenous languages once limited to a handful of speakers are seeing revitalization.
The Indian Residential School Survivors Society is an organization that has been providing support to survivors for two decades, and they operate from Kamloops (among other locations), where the first mass grave was found. They help survivors with litigation about their abuse, as well as supporting children of survivors and offering community education resources. You can find out more about them at their website.
This weekend, August 20-22, Book Riot will match donations to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society up to $2,500 USD.
To participate, upload a picture of your receipt for your donation in the form below.(You can redact personal information.) Check back next week, and we will upload our receipt to show how much we’ve raised together!
We also invite you to educate yourself not just about residential schools and Native American Boarding Schools, but also about the Indigenous nations near you, especially if you’re living on occupied land. There are organizations doing great work across the continent and around the world that could use your support in fighting the ongoing impacts of colonialism.
